System and method for water purification

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a water purification system and method including a treatment tank with a water inlet, a chlorine source, and a heating element; at least one storage tank with at least one treated water outlet between the treatment tank and the storage tank(s) through which treated water passes therebetween, and a final water outlet(s) through which treated water leaves the system for the benefit of the end user. A power source powers all elements that require power, such as the heating element.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to water purification methodsand systems and specifically to those that use chlorine and theninactivate the chlorine.

BACKGROUND

Water contamination has caused disease in the human population for aslong as there has been a human population. In modern times, while waterquality varies widely depending on geography, all water sources aresusceptible to contamination to some extent. Indeed, as discussed below,measures to decontaminate water often are themselves contaminants.

Original water sources are typically groundwater or surface water.Groundwater may be stored in underground geologic formations and pumpedfrom this subterranean source via a well or wells. In such situations,groundwater is susceptible to inorganic contaminants, such as radon,arsenic, uranium, and manganese, from the very rocks in which it sits.Especially in more rural areas, groundwater is frequently contaminatedwith pesticides and waste disposal from agricultural activities.According to a 2015 study by the United States Geological Survey (USGS),about 13% of Americans supplied their own home water, and over 98% ofthat water came from groundwater. Importantly, these private wells arenot regulated by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Especially ingeographical areas with a high-water table, such as parts of Florida,groundwater is also present near or at the ground's surface fromrainwater on boggy areas. Considering the massive amount of water onthis planet and the sheer scope of its applications, including feedingalmost every organism on earth, its contamination should be of paramountconcern to every citizen of this planet.

Surface water includes water accessed from rivers, canals, lakes, orartificial reservoirs, for examples. Surface water may also be affectedby pesticide run off and other agricultural treatments. Notably andadditionally, surface water is easily contaminated by all manner ofhuman and other animal activities, which include but are not limited to,industrial waste, slaughterhouses, garbage, sewage, dead animals, andanimal droppings, to name a few. These contaminants represent not onlyinorganic threats and poisons, but also represent disease threats frombacterial and viral agents.

A 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) document examined the routes ofentry of the avian influenza H5N1 virus into water and sewage, thepersistence of the virus in the environment, and its possible routes oftransmission to humans through water and sewage. While this document wasspecific to the avian flu H5N1 virus, its findings may well beapplicable to other known or unknown viruses, such as the coronavirusthat has caused the COVID-19 disease of pandemic proportions without anend yet in sight. The following includes noteworthy observations fromthe document. Birds infected with H5N1 shed large quantities of virus intheir feces, as well as in their saliva and nasal secretions. It islikely that infected droppings or other secretions from both symptomaticand asymptomatic migratory waterfowl will enter water environments wherethe birds gather. Besides direct deposition of feces into lake water bymigratory waterfowl, it has been suggested that fecal waste from duckand chicken farms may spread to bodies of water via wind, surface runoffor possibly enter groundwater through disposal and composting of wastesfrom poultry farms. Avian flu viruses are known to persist for extendedperiods of time in water. Their persistence may depend on factorsincluding water temperature, pH, and salinity. Assuming that humans maybe infected by the virus through both a fecal-oral and respiratoryroute, the document notes several possible modes of environmentaltransmission of H5N1 to humans, including but not limited to:consumption of drinking water contaminated by the virus (e.g. untreateddrinking water drawn from a contaminated water body or from a rainwatercollection system on a contaminated rooftop); recreational uses (e.g.swimming or bathing) in contaminated water; exposures to the virus insewage or surface waters where sewage contaminated with the virus hasbeen discharged; and occupational exposures to excreta and infectedanimals (e.g. sewage treatment, industrial waste, slaughterhousedisposal, level inadequacies and multiple agricultural practices).

There is also evidence that many viruses, including SARS and othercoronaviruses, are shed through human urine and feces. According toDavid J. Weberb & Mark D. Sobseya, Survival of Surrogate Coronavirusesin Water, WATER RESEARCH, Vol. 43, Issue 7, pages 1893-1898, forexample, coronaviruses can remain infectious for long periods in waterand pasteurized settled sewage, suggesting contaminated water is apotential vehicle for human exposure if aerosols are generated. Indeed,it has been determined SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in sewage sludge ishighly correlated with the COVID-19 epidemiological curve. Possibletransmission paths for viruses are sewage, waters into which sewageflows, and other contaminants whether from animal carcasses or animalwaste as well as industrial chemicals and anything those may directly orindirectly contact, such as farm fields and water supplies. As anexample, a March 2003 SARS outbreak at a high-rise housing estate inHong Kong involved over 300 people and was linked to a faulty sewagesystem. In the U.S., inadequately treated sewage sludge is turned intofertilizer that could end up contaminating food crops. Moreover, it iscommon for city sewer systems to overflow into rivers and other bodiesof water from which irrigation water and especially drinking water maybe drawn along with the use of said water for household showering andbaths whose penetration through skin pores statistically spread morecontamination into humans than does daily consumption of drinking water.Often, there is an overflow of raw untreated sewage.

Some states, such as Washington, allow composting of human remains.Given that some coronavirus infections are asymptomatic, there is thepossibility that someone that died of coronavirus could end up compostedin a vegetable garden. The thought that the coronavirus might survive inthe water of that vegetable garden is unsettling. Even when properprecautions against contamination are taken, mass graves, such as thosedug in Hart Island's potter's field to accommodate many of New YorkCity's COVID-19 victims also present a threat of the highly infectiousdisease reaching drinking water. There are many such examples ofhypothetical exposures through water to the coronavirus and otherviruses, which include burial grounds for both human and other animalremains without any treatment whatsoever in locations which have shallowwater tables.

As discussed above, the actual water sources are prime sources forcontamination. The infrastructure needed to bring groundwater or surfacewater to a building, whether a home or business, city apartment or farm,may also introduce new or increased contaminants to the water beingprovided. Such infrastructure includes dams, storage tanks, treatmentplants, pipes, and aqueducts. Much of this infrastructure was built inthe mid-20^(th) century or earlier and is reaching the end of its usefullife. Maintenance or replacement of such aging infrastructure is costlyand often superseded by emergency repairs. The irony is, of course, thatbetter regular maintenance would likely reduce or eliminate the need forsuch emergency repairs. Some communities, especially in rural areas,lack the expertise and resources to provide safe drinking water, evenwhen the need is recognized and even championed. Companies that own theinfrastructure generally rely on customers to pay for maintenance andupgrades. In poor communities or small communities, the money simplyisn't there to defray those costs. The Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) has estimated that $384 billion needs to be invested in localwater systems in the coming decades in order to keep water clean. TheAmerican Water Works has estimated about $1 billion in investment in thenext 25 years to maintain and expand water service. The presentinvention could offset the extensive cost of infrastructure upgrades, aswell as waterborne illnesses caused from the lack thereof.

Given the known problem of water contamination and its potential forillness or death in those that consume that water, water treatment is ofparamount importance. Many methods are known for water treatment. Theseinclude chemical treatments such as with chlorine or iodine; filtrationsuch as with activated alumina, activated carbon, ceramic or reverseosmosis (RO) filters; exposures to ultraviolet (UV) light; or boilingthe water. Each of these methods has advantages and disadvantages. Asdiscussed at length below, long-term chlorine consumption may bepoisonous or lethal for humans. Iodine also has many limitations: manypeople are allergic to iodine; it is light-sensitive; it tastes bad; itis not recommended for long term use; it does not kill parasitic wormeggs and larvae; it does not kill Cryptosporidium, a waterborne, diseasespreading protozoan; it does not address chemical contaminants; and itshould not be used by people with thyroid problems or on lithium, womenover fifty, or pregnant women. Filters usually are ineffectiveespecially for use for more than short-term use and may be expensiveand/or bulky. Moreover filters must be regularly changed in order tocontinue functioning and importantly, there is no single filter that canaddress all possible pathogens in water. At best, a filter may removemost of some pathogens. Some pathogens may be resistant to UV lightand/or heat. Certain strains of the salmonella bacteria, such as S.Senftemberg, S. Heidelberg, S. Typhimirium, and S. Newport, are known tobe more heat-resistant for example.

It was noted by Under Secretary (Acting) for Science and Technology atthe U.S. Department of Homeland Security, William N. Bryan on Apr. 24,2020 that some of these methods are effective in inactivating thecoronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease. Specifically, he notedthat UV rays or sunlight drastically reduces the half-life of thecoronavirus on both surfaces and in the air. He also noted that bleach(or chlorine) kills the coronavirus on surfaces very quickly. Althoughthese observations do not address how these methods would address watercontaminated with the coronavirus, the statements are consistent withknown methods for water purification.

As mentioned above, chlorine is commonly used in water disinfection.Chlorination is able to not only deactivate microorganisms, such asbacteria and viruses, through disinfection, but is also able to reducesome pesticide concentrations through chemical oxidation. Drinking waterquality guidelines from Health Canada note that conventional chlorinetreatment can achieve at least an 8-log inactivation of viruses. Mostchlorine is added to water in the form of chlorine gas or in the form ofsodium hypochlorite also known as bleach. Several factors should beconsidered in determining how much chlorine to use to treat water. Thesefactors include the water's pH and temperature; how long the watershould be exposed to the chlorine for disinfection; and the waterquality. Regarding this last, to give a specific example, sufficientchlorine is needed to oxidize both pesticides in water, as well as anyother carbon sources present in the water. In other words, there must besufficient chlorine to address every contaminant. These factors areaddressed in Standards for the Examination of Water and Wastewater,published by the American Public Health Association, American WaterWorks Association, and the Water Environment Federation, which detailsthe determination of the chlorine demand by pollutant.

While chlorine is a powerful and useful water disinfectant, it is wellknown that drinking water that has been disinfected with chlorine may bedangerous. The chlorine has rid the water of one danger but presentsanother in and of itself. According to the Environmental ProtectionAgency, Americans consume 300-600 times the amount of chlorine that issafe to ingest. Moreover, chlorine may be inhaled or absorbed throughthe skin through bathing in water treated with chlorine. Chlorineconsumption through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption has been shownto cause or be positively correlated with at least respiratory problems,such as asthma and allergy, sinus, and emphysema conditions; cancer;heart disease; skin irritation; free radical exposure; and an averagereduction of a two year lifespan. Beyond these more serious healthconcerns, chlorine can make water taste and/or smell bad and mayirritate the skin. Indeed, in Florida with its high-water table, forexample, while it is known that a chlorine inactivation level of 10 logsis necessary to inactivate the contaminants in its water, only 4 logsare used because the higher level leaves such an objectionableaftertaste.

Some methods to inactivate chlorine in water are known. Chlorine willevaporate from water if left long enough. Chlorine may also be removedthrough boiling water, with the amount of time needed at boiling beingdependent on the concentration of chlorine in the water. Filters such asgranular activated carbon (GAC), carbon block (CBC), or that marketedunder the trademark KDF 55 may also remove chlorine from water(hereinafter KDF 55), though none of these filters guarantee completechlorine removal and each has its disadvantages. Two forms of vitamin C,ascorbic acids and sodium ascorbate, will also neutralize chlorine.Other chemical compounds, such as sulfur dioxide, sodium thiosulfate,sodium sulfite, or sodium bisulfate, may remove chlorine from water butare toxic or dangerous to handle or result in dangerous byproducts thatare an environmental concern. Notably, statistics show that the lifeexpectancy of persons consuming, bathing and swimming in chlorinatedwater is shorter by an average of two years.

There is a need for a water filtration system that harnesses thedisinfecting properties of chlorine while eliminating its disadvantages.Preventing the aggregated costs of illnesses associated with impurewater or with water overly treated with chlorine would save hundreds ofbillions of dollars annually within the U.S. alone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a system and method for water purification.

In its most basic form, the system of the present invention includes awater inlet that allows water to be treated to enter into a treatmenttank; a chlorine source; a heating element; at least one power source; atreated water outlet that allows the treated water to leave thetreatment tank and enter at least one storage tank; the at least onestorage tank; and a final water outlet.

The water inlet is disposed on the treatment tank so that water to betreated may enter the treatment tank. The water inlet must be able to beopened and closed, such as with an inlet valve or a cap. Water to betreated may be poured directly into a water inlet positioned at the topof the treatment tank. The water to be treated may also be suppliedthrough automation. In embodiments of the system that include a firstpump, the water inlet may be disposed anywhere on the treatment tankbecause the movement of the water to be treated is aided by the pump andneed not rely on gravity alone. The water inlet may be connecteddirectly to the water source. The water inlet may include a filter asdiscussed below. The water inlet may be any commonly used in the art.

The treatment tank may be any relatively large vessel that can withstandboth the presence of chlorine and the moderate heat required to bringwater to a boil and maintain the boiling for at least the amount of timenecessary to inactivate the chlorine. The size of the treatment tankwill depend upon available space for the system and the needed recoveryvolume to satisfy the duration of needs for emergency supplies ofpotable water for the specific location. A larger treatment tank maypurify a larger volume of water at a time, but will take up more space.The water being treated also will be heated to a boiling temperature atleast once. As to the power required to heat the water, there may bepower efficiencies to heating a large volume fewer times versus a smallvolume many times or vice versa. As such, tank size versus powerconsumption for heating may be a balance that is settled based on theuser's preference, available space, available power, etc. The treatmenttank preferably has a capacity of 300 to 325 gallons. It is preferredthat the storage tank(s), discussed below, have similar capacity so asto accommodate all of the treated water from the treatment tank. Thetreatment tank may also be an odd size or shape so as to fit efficientlyinto the space where the system is disposed.

The treatment tank preferably includes a steam escape path, such as avent. Water will be heated to a boil within the treatment tank, andalthough the treatment tank is preferably made of material durableenough to accommodate the pressure that will build within the treatmenttank during this heating, a steam escape path may be a prudent addition.Although the term “steam escape path” is used herein, the term shouldnot be interpreted to imply that the boiling step(s) of the presentmethod, as discussed below, will create only pure water vapor. It isunderstood that “steam” that may escape through the steam escape pathmay include chlorine and other impurities. It is therefore preferredthat the steam escape path includes a steam filter so that suchimpurities are not vented into the environment around the system of thepresent invention. The steam filter may be any type of filter discussedbelow, but must be able to withstand high heat and humidity. As carbonfilters do not work well when hot, carbon filters are not preferred forthese purposes. As the steam escape path and its steam filter are mostlikely to be used when the water to be treated is being heated to aboiling point which is the extent required to inactivate chlorine fromthe water, it is preferable that the steam filter be capable offiltering chlorine from the resultant steam.

The treatment tank preferably includes a purity monitor. The puritymonitor includes a purity test of at least the treated water's pathogenand chlorine content. The purity test is conducted after the water hasbeen treated, but before it leaves the treatment tank. If the puritytest concludes that pathogens or chlorine are still present in thetreated water, then the purity monitor instructs the system to reheatthe water to a boil to eliminate the remaining pathogens and/orchlorine. After this additional heating, another purity test isadministered and the steps are repeated until a purity test indicatesthe water has been purified. Only at this point will the treated waterbe allowed to advance to the storage tank(s). The purity monitor mayalso include a display of the outcome of a purity test. The steps ofconducting the purity test; reheating if necessary; and eventual passingof the treated water into the storage tank(s) are preferably automated.As such, a display of the purity test results is not necessary, but maybe included for informational purposes, such as readjusting the amountof chlorine added and/or the length of time that the chlorinated wateris boiled. In some embodiments, however, the steps are not automated. Insuch embodiments, a display may be necessary so that a user may thenmanually set the system to reheat. It is preferred that the system keepa record of such purity tests.

The chlorine source is preferably bleach. This form of chlorine has theadvantage of being relatively inexpensive and readily commerciallyavailable. Calcium hypochlorite which is more commonly used in swimmingpools, may also be used. Chlorine gas or any other source of chlorinemay also be used. The “chlorine source” may also be any form of iodinecommonly used in the art of water purification, such as an iodinetincture (typically a solution of 1.8-7% elemental iodine, along withpotassium iodide or sodium iodide, dissolved in a mixture of ethanol andwater); iodine crystals; or iodine tablets. As used herein, it isunderstood that the “chlorine source” may be a source of iodine and thatreferences to “chlorine” being added to water for purification may alsorefer to iodine.

The chlorine will be added to the water in the treatment tank todeactivate microorganisms in the water through disinfection. The amountof chlorine used will depend on the volume of water being treated. Thisfactor may be limited by the size of the treatment tank. In a standardsystem, with a 300 to 325 gallon treatment tank, for example, a standardvolume of bleach may be added to every 300 gallons (e.g.) of waterentering the treatment tank from the water source. This standard volumeof bleach may depend on what is known about that water source. If it isknown to be of particularly poor quality, for example, a larger volumeof bleach may be deployed. Similarly, if specific pollutants are knownto be present in the water source, varying amounts of chlorine may beused based on that pollutant. The Standards for the Examination of Waterand Wastewater may be consulted for this purpose. In some situations,however, little will be known about the water so a maximum amount ofbleach may be used to ensure disinfection of whatever microorganisms,pollutants, or other contaminants and in whatever quantities may bepresent. Such an option may use more bleach than is necessary todisinfect the water, but will add to the user's peace of mind andconfidence in the disinfection. Chlorine may be added manually to thetreatment tank or added to the treatment tank through an automatedchlorine feeder, as discussed below. In some embodiments, as with thosethat include iodine instead of chlorine, the “chlorine” source does notinclude chlorine at all, but instead uses another water disinfectantwhose lingering presence post disinfection is undesirable and will betreated by the system of the present invention.

The heating element of the system boils the water after it has beenexposed to chlorine. The chlorine has rid the water of contaminants andthe boiling then rids the water of the chlorine. The heating element isdisposed proximate to the treatment tank so that it may heat thechlorinated water therein. It is understood that “proximate to” in thiscontext may mean that the heating element is within the treatment tank.The heating element is preferably electrical, but may be an elementcommonly used to heat water, such as propane, solar electricphotovoltaic (PV) panel(s), a solar hot water system with heatexchangers, a geothermal system, etc., or a combination thereof. For thepurpose of disambiguation, it is understood that solar PV systems usesunlight to generate electricity. Solar hot water systems, on the otherhand do not generate electricity, but instead heat water directly byhaving water run through the solar panels as they are heated by the sun,or indirectly by heating a liquid (such as glycol) within the solarpanels with the sun and then transferring that heat to the water to beheated through heat exchangers. A solar hot water system, for example,may heat the water directly when sunlight is available, while anelectric heating element could take over during the night. Similarly,with an all-electric heating element, solar electric PV panels couldprovide power while sunlight is available, replacing or supplementinggrid power during the day, while the grid would provide all power whenthe system is run at night or when solar electric output is insufficientto meet demands.

The at least one power source of the system powers any electricalcomponent included in the system. As the heating element is preferablyelectrical, as discussed above, the power source preferably powers theheating element. If the system also includes any or all of a first orsecond filter that requires electricity, pH sensor, thermometer, othersensors, automated chlorine feeder, UV light source, first or secondpumps, and/or chlorine or system controllers, then the power source willprovide the necessary power for these components.

The power source is preferably the electric grid. During normal,non-emergency times, the electric grid will power all electricalcomponents of the system. It is preferred that the power source(s) alsoinclude at least one rechargeable battery. This power source ispreferably two large rechargeable batteries, such as those used byelectric cars, arranged in series so that one may back-up the other andone may charge while the other is in use though they may charge while inuse as well. During normal non-emergency times the electric grid willkeep the rechargeable batteries charged and then the rechargeablebatteries can provide power to the system if the electricity from thegrid is not available. In preferred embodiments, the power sourceincludes at least a solar PV panel that is capable of charging therechargeable batteries. The PV panel may be configured to feed theelectric grid during normal, non-emergency times, and to feed therechargeable batteries when the electric grid is unavailable. Somesystems may not have access to the electric grid at all, and a PV panelis especially useful in such arrangements. Other power sources includegenerators (such as a propane electric generator, for example),non-rechargeable batteries, wind turbines, and hydropower, and any otherpower source commonly used in the art.

The storage tank(s) are a ready source of purified water at all times,and an important source of potable water available for extendedemergencies. One storage tank may be used, but at least two storagetanks are preferable, where each holds 300 to 325 gallons of water,which may be used for drinking and cooking, bathing, plumbing, etc. Thecustomary household uses approximately 70 gallons of water a day. Assuch, these tanks could provide water for a week or longer to theaverage household. It is preferred that there are two storage tanks sothat one may be filling and treated while the other is in use. It isunderstood that the 300 gallon volume is fairly arbitrary, however. Thissized tank is advantageous in that is easily commercially available, butit is understood that the storage tank or tanks may be larger or smallerthan this volume. The space available for the system is, of course, afactor.

In some embodiments, the storage tank(s) includes a UV light sourcewithin the tank(s). This will ensure that the air space above theliquid, the inner surface of the tank(s), and the liquid itself allremain disinfected during storage. Such a UV light source may be agermicidal UV lamp but may be any UV light source that is waterproof.The UV light source may be submerged in the liquid or suspended from thetop of the tank(s). In some embodiments, the storage tank(s) includesmore than one UV light source so that one may be submerged in the liquidand one may be suspended from the top or positioned otherwise. Thestorage tank(s) may be hooked directly into the water system of a home,business, or other edifice. In some embodiments, the storage tank alsoincludes a second heating element powered by the power source, so thatpurified hot water may be readily available from the storage tank. Thesecond heating element may be any as discussed above with reference tothe first heating element. Such embodiments preferably also include acirculator to ensure hot water is immediately available. The circulatormay be set to run on a pre-programmed timer.

In some embodiments, the storage tank also includes a cooling elementpowered by the power source, so that purified cool or cold water mayalso be readily available from the storage tank. The cooling elementwould preferably cool the water to approximately 55° F., which is atypical temperature for household cold/cool water that has neither beenheated nor cooled. The cooling element may be a device placed within orintegrated with the storage tank that removes heat from the interior ofthe storage tank. In some embodiments, the storage tank itself is arefrigerated unit, and is therefore both the storage tank and thecooling element. It is understood that some embodiments include neithera second heating element nor a cooling element and the purified water inthe storage tanks is left to equilibrate to room temperature.

One of at least ordinary skill in the art will recognize that thestorage tanks may include many different configurations. One storagetank may be larger than others, for example for long term or emergencystorage. The preference of two at least 300 gallon tanks is presentedabove, but the system may include many storage tanks to hold the treatedwater. A smaller storage tank may be deployed inside a small indoorspace, but be connected to the system and/or other larger storage tanksout of doors. One or more storage tanks may be designated for cold orroom temperature water, and would therefore not include any heatingelements. The storage tank may also be odd sized or custom sized for thespace in which the system is deployed. It is understood that the systemof the present invention may include more than two storage tanks andthat the multiple storage tanks need not be of the same size or shapeand need not even be in the same location, depending on how the systemis deployed.

The treated water outlet connects the treatment tank with the storagetank(s). Water purified in the treatment tank passes through the treatedwater outlet and is stored in the storage tank(s). The treated wateroutlet includes at least a first outlet valve that operates to keep thetreated water outlet closed when water is not ready to be introduced tothe storage tank and to open the treated water outlet when treated wateris ready to be introduced to the storage tank. The first outlet valvealso preferably controls the flow of treated water between the treatmenttank and the storage tank. So as to take advantage of gravity, it ispreferred that the treated water outlet be disposed near the bottom ofthe treatment tank and that the storage tank be situated below thislevel. As discussed below, however, the system may include a second pumpthat pumps the treated water into the storage tank(s). In suchembodiments, the treated water outlet may be disposed anywhere on thetreatment and storage tanks. The treated water outlet may include a pipebetween the treatment tank and the storage tank or the treatment tankand storage tank may be situated directly proximate to one another sothat the water passes directly between the tanks without that added pipecomponent. When the treated water outlet includes a pipe, the firstoutlet valve is preferably disposed on the treatment tank side of thepipe, but may be disposed on the storage tank side of the pipe, or thetreated water outlet may include a second outlet valve so that there isa valve in each of these locations. In some embodiments, the treatedwater outlet includes a second filter, as discussed below.

The final water outlet is attached to at least one storage tank andallows the water to be released to the end user. The preferred systemwill provide enough purified hot or cold water to the average familyhome for at least a week, and purify more as water leaves the systemthrough the final water outlet. In some embodiments, the final wateroutlet includes a pump.

In preferred embodiments, the system also includes a first filterthrough which water will pass before entering the treatment tank. Forthe avoidance of doubt, it is understood that the present invention doesnot require filters of any kind and does not rely upon any one filter orcombination of filters discussed below. The first filter is disposed ator near the water inlet. This first filter is preferably either an ROfilter or a wound/spun filter, but may also be any water filter commonlyused in the art, such as a simple carbon filter, UV filter, or a filterthat targets chemical contaminants (as discussed below with reference tothe second filter). It is understood that some filters may includeseveral of the listed filters in a single device. It is understood that,unlike the other types of filters listed above, a UV filter may not be atraditional filter through which water actually passes. An RO filterpreferably includes three different types of filtration, including asediment prefilter to screen out larger particulates; a carbon filter toremove organic contaminants; and a semipermeable membrane that is achemical contaminant filter. Other types of RO filters that may notinclude all three of these types of filters or that include differenttypes of filters or that include some combination thereof may also beincluded. The wound or spun filter (hereinafter “wound filter”) wouldfilter out sediment only. The wound filter preferably includes a firstlayer of filtration with a higher micron rating to catch particles ofthe same size or particles larger than the micron rating and a secondlayer of filtration with a much lower micron rating that catches smallerparticles that slip through the first layer. Although it is preferredthat the wound filter be an absolute filter that catches close to 100%of particulates, it is understood that such tight filters lower waterpressure through the filter and may require more power for pumping. Inthe absence of a pump or additional easily accessed power, the woundfilter may be a nominal filter that catches most but not allparticulates. The first filter may also be a simple pleated filter thatgenerally only filters out particles of uniform size. While a woundfilter may be preferable in some ways to a simpler pleated filter, itrequires more frequent changing or cleaning and may not be necessary,depending on the water source, as discussed below. It is understood thatthe sediment prefilter of the RO filter may be either a wound filter ora pleated filter or any other commonly used sediment filter.

The type of first filter used may be tailored to the water source. If itis known that the water source will include a great deal of variedsediment of different sizes, then a wound filter alone or as a part ofan RO filter may be preferred. If, on the other hand, the water islikely to have only large sand particles as sediment, a pleated filteralong with or as a part of an RO filter may be preferred. It may bepreferred to use an RO filter including an absolute wound filter. Whilethis may be necessary for some water sources or desired for peace ofmind, it is understood that the more complex the filter, the morecomplex the system. Moreover, as the water will be treated with chlorineand boiled, any filter may be superfluous.

In preferred embodiments, the system also includes a second filterthrough which treated water will pass from the treatment tank into thestorage tank. The second filter is disposed at or near the treated wateroutlet. It is preferred that the second filter, if included, be a UVfilter. Given that the water has been treated with chlorine and boiled,it should be pure and rid of bacteria and viruses by the time it leavesthe treatment tank for the storage tank. However, prior to storage,including a UV filter would kill any remaining bacteria or virus in thewater. The second filter may also be a wound or pleated sediment filteror a chemical contaminant filter. A chemical contaminant filter forchlorine may be preferable to remove any remaining chlorine followingboiling. Although there should not be any other chemical contaminants inthe water at this stage in the purification, other chemical contaminantfilters that target chemical contaminants known or suspected to be inthe water source, such as arsenic, iron, or sulfur, may also be used asthe second filter. A KDF 55 filter or a filter similar to a KDF 55filter, for example, works well with hot water, to inactivate thechlorine, and may remove any final traces of not only chlorine, but alsowater-soluble lead, mercury, and chromium, inter alia. As the watertreated by the system of the present invention will be heated to aboiling temperature, such a filter that can be used with hot water istherefore desirable. A carbon filter alone or as part of an RO filtermay also be used as the second filter, but is not preferred becausecarbon filters do not work well with heated water. Although the watermay cool after boiling before being sent through a carbon filter, thiswill add time to the filtration process and is therefore not preferred.Moreover, as it is preferred that the treated water stored in thestorage tanks also be heated, this added step of cooling the water so asto accommodate a carbon second filter is particularly undesirable.Although the terms “first” and “second” filter are used herein, it isunderstood that some systems include both a first and second filter;some systems include a first filter but not a second; some systemsinclude a second filter but not a first; and some systems includeneither.

In preferred embodiments, the system also includes a pH sensor and/orthermometer disposed either at the very front of the system where thewater is coming in from the source or within the treatment tank. As pHand temperature of the water may affect how much chlorine is needed todisinfect the water, the pH sensor and thermometer are useful inclusionsto the system. In some embodiments, the system may also include otherdevices for sensing information about the water, such as the presenceand/or concentration of specific contaminants. A thermometer is alsoparticularly useful because it may indicate when the water has reachedboiling. Another sensor that may be included with the treatment tank isa pressure gauge. Such a pressure gauge is preferably in communicationwith the steam escape path so that steam will be vented through thesteam escape path if the pressure gauge reads a pressure within thetreatment tank that is too high.

In preferred embodiments, the system may also include an automatedchlorine feeder. The automated chlorine feeder would be attached to thechlorine source and add chlorine to the treatment tank as water to betreated is introduced to the treatment tank or after the water to betreated has been introduced to the treatment tank. The automatedchlorine feeder may be formed so as to always add the same amount ofchlorine to every batch of water to be treated. In the preferredembodiments, however, the automated chlorine feeder is a smart devicethat includes a chlorine control module that may receive input from auser and/or the pH sensor, thermometer, or other sensors if included inthe system. A user may set the automated chlorine feeder to add more orless chlorine based on predetermined knowledge of the water and itscontaminants; information provided from the sensors; and/or the batchsize of the water to be treated, for examples. If the system includes apH sensor and/or thermometer, the automated chlorine feeder may be inelectronic communication with these devices and automatically adjust theamount of chlorine required depending on the pH and/or temperature ofthe water to be treated. The inclusion of an automated chlorine feederwill make the system easier to use; reduce the user's direct exposure tothe chlorine to be added; and reduce the treatment tank to possiblecontaminant exposure from the user's repeated access to add chlorine.

In preferred embodiments, the system may also include one or more pumps.A first pump may be used to pump water from the water source into thetreatment tank. This first pump may be especially preferable if a firstfilter is used that is tight enough to lower water pressure. A secondpump may be used to pump the treated water from the treatment tank intothe storage tank(s). Again, this second pump may be especiallypreferable if a second tight filter is used between the treatment tankand the storage tank(s). Although the terms “first” and “second” pumpare used herein, it is understood that some systems include a first andsecond pump; some systems include a first pump but not a second; somesystems include a second pump but not a first; and some systems includeneither.

In preferred embodiments, the system may also include one or morealarms. The alarms may indicate any problems occurring with the system,such as a need to reboot, replace batteries, change a filter, etc. Analarm may also indicate any malfunction with the chlorine source, suchas the automated chlorine feeder that has overfilled the treatment tank;caused chlorine to leak out of the system; or otherwise caused an unsafeenvironment around the system of the present invention. The actualindicators of the alarms may be any commonly used in the art, such as ablinking light, a noise, or an automated email to a system user. It ispreferred that the alarms are accompanied by instructions or otherindications on how to address the problem that prompted the alarm. Suchinstructions may include, for examples, specifying exactly which filterneeds replacing and the exact filter specifications needed for thatfilter; providing a reference to a specific section of a user manualthat provides instructions on addressing such a situation; or providinga troubleshooting code that may be matched with instructions in the usermanual.

It is preferred that the entire system include a system control modulethat electronically controls the system of the present invention. Forthose systems that include an automated chlorine feeder and chlorinecontrol module, a purity monitor, and/or alarm(s), the system controlmodule is preferably in communication with or combined with the chlorinecontrol module, the purity monitor, and the alarm(s). It is preferredthat the system control module include an alarm panel that displaysmultiple alarm identifications, including shut down functions andsignals, such as chlorine alerts as described above.

The system control module would also receive user input on other systemfunctions. These system functions may include turning the system on andoff; setting timers for when the system should run; and settings forwhen and for how long the water needs to be boiled to inactivate thechlorine. How long the water should boil to inactivate the chlorine maydepend on the volume of water and amount of chlorine added, which may beinputs into the system control module. The temperature of the water maybe relayed to the system control module from a thermometer. Once boilingtemperature is reached, the system control module may start a timer forhow long the water needs to boil to inactivate the chlorine and thenshut the heating element off once the required time has lapsed. Thesystem control module may also monitor the water's temperature as itcools from the boiling temperature. The system control module may onlyallow the treated water through the treated water outlet into thestorage tank(s) once it has reached a specific cooled temperature. Insystems where the second filter includes a carbon filter, for example,the filter will not work well if the water is hot, and the systemcontrol module may prepare for that. The system control module may alsocontrol when and if to use the first and second pumps, if they areincluded in the system. The system control module may also detect andindicate when the first or second filter or UV light source needsmaintenance, cleaning, or replacement, if those components are includedin the system. The power source would provide power to the systemcontrol module. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that thesystem control module may be used in conjunction with many operations ofthe system of the present invention, and each of these possibilities isconsidered to be within the scope of the present invention.

The focus of the present invention is on water purification. It is knownthat impurities in water may become breathable when such water isvaporized, such as in a humid environment like a shower. The system andmethod of the present invention result in very pure water.

In its most basic form, the method of the present invention includes thefollowing steps: guiding water to be treated into a treatment tank;adding sufficient chlorine to the treatment tank to purify the water tobe treated; applying heat to the treatment tank and boiling the water tobe treated; and guiding the treated water into a storage tank. As usedherein, “water to be treated” means water through the step of boilingafter exposing the water to chlorine and “treated water” means waterthat has been boiled after exposing the water to chlorine. This methodand variations thereof may be used advantageously in conjunction withelements from the egg pasteurization methods disclosed in the inventor'sU.S. Pat. Nos. 9,648,888 and 9,949,497.

Regarding the step of introducing the water to be treated into atreatment tank, this step involves any treatment tank as discussed abovewith reference to the treatment tank of the system of the presentinvention. Regarding the step of adding sufficient chlorine to thetreatment tank to purify the water to be treated, this step is asdescribed above with reference to the system of the present invention.Importantly, as explained above, adding “chlorine” may also refer toadding iodine. If specific contaminants or quantities thereof are known,the amount of chlorine added may be tailored to the water to be treatedand its volume. In many cases, however, particularly when little isknown about the quality of the water to be treated, the sufficientamount of chlorine will be a maximum amount that is known will kill allcontaminants in any quantity, even if this maximum amount is more thanis necessary. The step of adding sufficient chlorine to the treatmenttank to purify the water to be treated involves dispersing chlorine fromthe chlorine source attached to the treatment tank, as described abovewith reference to the system of the present invention. The chlorine ispreferably in the form of bleach, but may be in the form of calciumhypochlorite, chlorine gas, any other chlorine source, iodine tincture,iodine crystals, or iodine tablets. The step of adding sufficientchlorine to the treatment tank to purify the water to be treated may beperformed manually or automatically with the aid of an automatedchlorine feeder, as described above. It is noted that manual addition ofchlorine is not preferred as chlorine is dangerous for humans to handleand breath.

The step of applying heat to the treatment tank and boiling the water tobe treated involves boiling the water for a sufficient amount of time toinactivate the chlorine added to the water in the previous step. Thelength of the boiling will depend on how much chlorine was added. Notethat the inactivation of chlorine (or iodine) through boiling isdependent on evaporation. Thus it is the state change achieved byboiling that is required by the method, rather than achieving a specifictemperature. The state change of boiling will occur at differenttemperatures depending on atmospheric pressure and related elevation, soa specific temperature is not required herein. As boiling will almostalways require some heat though, applying heat is also a required stepto achieve boiling. Care must be taken during this step to consider thevolume of water to be treated within the treatment tank and alsosubsequently to monitor how much air remains within the treatment tank.The pressure created within the treatment tank during this step must beconsidered and addressed so as to operate the system safely. This stepmay include the steps of providing a steam escape path from thetreatment tank; ensuring that the level of the water within thetreatment tank always leaves enough air space above the water for vaporto have sufficient space upon boiling; and/or providing a treatment tankthat is structurally strong enough to withstand the pressures createdduring boiling. In some embodiments the step of applying heat to thetreatment tank and boiling the water to be treated includes the steps ofmonitoring the temperature of the water within the treatment tank;timing the boiling once boiling is achieved as indicated by the water'stemperature; and discontinuing the heat once boiling has endured for asufficient amount of time to inactivate the chlorine.

Some embodiments of the method of the present invention include, afterthe step of applying heat and boiling in the treatment tank, testing thewater for remaining pathogens and/or chlorine. If pathogens aredetected, the steps of adding chlorine, applying heat and boiling, andtesting are repeated until no pathogens are detected. The treated watermay then be sent on to the step of guiding the treated water into thestorage tank. If chlorine is detected the steps of applying heat andboiling and testing are repeated until no chlorine is detected. Thetreated water may then be sent on to the step of guiding the treatedwater into the storage tank. Repeating these core steps may bepreferable under extreme circumstances of highly polluted water or whenintelligence surrounding a local water source would dictate therepetition. In such circumstances, the additional step of testing thewater for remaining pathogens before adding additional chlorine andreapplying heat and boiling may be eliminated and the core steps may berepeated as a matter of course. As discussed above, filters are not arequirement of the system of the present invention. Repeating these coresteps of the method of the present invention may also be particularlypreferable with such systems that lack filters but still ensureperfectly clean water as a product.

Regarding the step of guiding the treated water into a storage tank,this step involves any storage tank as discussed above with reference tothe storage tank of the system of the present invention.

Some embodiments of the method of the present invention also include thestep of guiding water to be treated through a first filter before thewater to be treated is guided into the treatment tank. This stepinvolves any filter as discussed above with reference to the firstfilter of the system of the present invention. As the first filter ispreferably integrated with the treatment tank of the present invention,the steps of guiding the water to be treated through the first filterand into the treatment tank are likely performed simultaneously. In someembodiments of the method of the present invention, the steps of guidingwater to be treated through a first filter and guiding the water to betreated into a treatment tank include pumping water to be treatedthrough the first filter and into the treatment tank.

Some embodiments of the method of the present invention also include thestep of guiding treated water through a second filter before it isguided into the storage tank. This step involves any filter as discussedabove with reference to the second filter of the system of the presentinvention. As the second filter is preferably disposed between thetreatment and storage tanks of the present invention, the steps ofguiding the treated water through the second filter and into the storagetank are likely performed simultaneously. In some embodiments of themethod of the present invention, the steps of guiding treated waterthrough a second filter and guiding the treated water into the storagetank include pumping the treated water through the second filter andinto the storage tank.

Some embodiments of the method of the present invention also include thestep of exposing the treated water to UV light within the storage tank.This step involves any UV light source as described above with respectto the system of the present invention. Some embodiments of the methodof the present invention also include the step of periodicallyre-boiling the treated water in the storage tanks, so as to ensure thepurity of the treated water is maintained during storage.

Some embodiments of the method of the present invention include thesteps of identifying one or more contaminants in the water to be treatedand adjusting the amount of chlorine to be added in the step of addingsufficient chlorine to address the identified contaminants. The step ofidentifying one or more contaminants in the water to be treated may bebased on common knowledge of an area's source water or testing of thewater or other indications. In some embodiments, the step of identifyingone or more contaminants also includes determining a concentration oramount of the contaminant in the water to be treated.

These aspects of the present invention are not meant to be exclusive andother features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when read inconjunction with the following description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a preferred system of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A-2E are block diagrams indicating options for some components ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the steps of the method of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a preferred embodiment ofsystem 10 of the present invention is provided. It is understood thatsystem 10 as depicted includes all optional components so that everyembodiment of system 10 is represented, but that not every componentshown is required in more basic embodiments of system 10. System 10includes water inlet 12; treatment tank 14; chlorine source 16; heatingelement 18; power source 20; treated water outlet 22; and storage tanks24. It is understood that the block diagram portrays one possibleconfiguration of system 10 and that it is not necessarily to scale. Allconfigurations that include the required components of system 10 areconsidered to be within the scope of the present invention, regardlessof their similarity or lack thereof to the configuration depictedherein.

Treatment tank 14 has a capacity of at least 300 gallons to match thecapacity of the storage tanks 24, as discussed below. Treatment tank 14is made of a material that can withstand the heat and pressure of waterboiling within, as well as any degrading effects of frequent, extendedexposure to chlorine, specifically bleach. Water to be treated isintroduced into treatment tank 14 through water inlet 12 and firstfilter 46. This is achieved with first pump 82, which is particularlyadvantageous when first filter 46 is a tight filter, such as an ROfilter or an absolute wound filter. Referring briefly to FIG. 2D, firstfilter 46 may be an RO filter 48, a wound filter 50, a pleated filter52, a UV filter 68, a carbon filter 70, a chemical contaminant filter62, or a combination thereof. It is understood that first filter 46, inany form, is not a required element of system 10, and is shown herein asan option only.

Again referring to FIG. 1, water inlet 12 includes inlet valve 26 toopen and securely close water inlet 12. Treatment tank includes steamescape path 106, such as a vent. Steam escape path 106 may only be usedin emergencies when pressure within treatment tank 14 exceeds a safelevel. Steam escape path 106 includes steam filter 118 to catchimpurities in the steam before they contaminate the environment aroundsystem 10. The preferred treatment tank 14 shown includes a pH sensor72, a thermometer 74, and other sensors 76. These sensors relayinformation to the chlorine control module 80 and/or the system controlmodule 104, discussed below. Other sensor 76 may be a pressure gaugethat communicates with steam escape path 106 to release pressure withintreatment tank 14 if pressure reaches an unsafe level. Alarm panel 75includes identifications of shut down functions and signals.

Chlorine source 16 is attached to treatment tank 14 and functions toprovide chlorine to treatment tank 14 to purify the water to be treatedwithin. An automated chlorine feeder 78 is connected to the chlorinesource 16 and operates to automate the chlorine provision, thusminimizing the need for handling of the chlorine. The automated chlorinefeeder 78 is controlled by chlorine control module 80. Chlorine controlmodule 80 may receive input and commands, such as the amount of chlorineto be added. Other input may include dependencies that affect how muchchlorine should be added, such as the pH or temperature of the water tobe treated, which may be communicated to chlorine control module 80 frompH sensor 72, thermometer 74, or other sensor 76, discussed above.Referring briefly to FIG. 2A, chlorine source 16 is preferably bleach86, but may also be calcium hypochlorite 88, chlorine gas 90, iodinetincture 89, iodine crystals 91, or iodine tablets 93.

Referring again to FIG. 1, heating element 18 is affixed to treatmenttank 14 such that it is able to heat the water to be treated withintreatment tank 14. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize thatmany heating elements and configurations thereof may be successfullyincorporated into system 10 for this purpose. Each of these elements andconfigurations is considered within the scope of the present invention.Referring briefly to FIG. 2B, heating element 18 may be electric 28,solar PV 30, propane 32, solar hot water 34, or geothermal 36.

Again referring to FIG. 1, heating element 18 is powered by power source20. Power source 20 provides power to any system component that requirespower or electricity, such as automated chlorine feeder 78 and chlorinecontrol module 80; pH sensor 72, thermometer 74, other sensor 76 andtheir connections to chlorine control module 80 or system control module104; purity monitor 120; alarms 126; system control module 104; anyautomation of valves 26, 40, 42; pumps 82, 84, 116; heating elements 18,114; cooling element 113; circulator 108 and timer 110; UV light source38; batteries 92, 96; as well as any heating or electrical options, suchas solar PV systems 30, geothermal systems 36, wind turbine systems 98,generators 94, and hydropower systems 102. It is understood that many ofthese last listed components generate their own power when operated, butsome require power when their underlying resource, such as sunlight,wind, or water flow are unavailable. Referring briefly to FIG. 2C, powersource 20 may be the electric grid 90, solar PV 30, a rechargeablebattery 92, a generator 94, a non-rechargeable battery 96, a windturbine 98, or hydropower 102. Power source 20 may be any of thesesources of power alone, or a combination thereof. A preferred and commonpower source 20 would be a combination of electric grid 90, solar PV 30,a rechargeable battery 92 (especially a large rechargeable batterysimilar to those used with electric cars), and a generator 94. Thiscombination utilizes easily available components and includes sufficientredundancy.

Referring again to FIG. 1, treated water outlet 22 allows treated waterto pass from treatment tank 14 to storage tank 24. Although treatedwater outlet 22 may be as simple as a hole in each of treatment tank 14and storage tank 24 with a first outlet valve 40 between that may beopened and closed to allow or disallow flow, the configuration of thetreated water outlet 22 shown in FIG. 1 is preferred. Alarms 126 are incommunication with system control module 104 and indicate any problemswith system 10 and how to resolve them, such as a need to change afilter or a battery. Purity monitor 120 administers purity test 122 totreated water before it is allowed to pass through treated water outlet22. Purity test 122 tests the treated water for the lingering presenceof pathogens and/or chlorine. If there are any lingering pathogensand/or chlorine, purity monitor 120 will instruct system 10 to reheatthe water. Importantly, the purity monitor 120 would ensure that thewater with lingering pathogens and/or chlorine would not leave thesystem 10 to be provided to the consumer. The results of purity test 122are displayed on display 124. Treated water passes through second filter54. Referring briefly to FIG. 2E, second filter 54 may be a UV filter56, a wound filter 58, a pleated filter 60, a chemical contaminantfilter 62, a carbon filter 64, an RO filter 66, or some combinationthereof. It is understood that second filter 54, in any form, is not arequired element of system 10, and is shown herein as an option only.

Second pump 84 may be included to aid in the transfer of treated waterthrough treated water outlet 22. Second pump 84 is especially desirableif second filter 54 is tight or if treated water outlet 22 is disposedin such a way that the treated water needs to flow against gravity.Treated water outlet 22 includes pipe 44 between treatment tank 14 andstorage tank 24 with first outlet valve 40 between treatment tank 14 andpipe 44 and second outlet valve 42 between pipe 44 and storage tank 24.Of the components listed in this preferred version of treated wateroutlet 22, second outlet valve 42 is the least important and could beomitted. Although FIG. 1 shows a treated water outlet 22 betweentreatment tank 14 and each of the storage tanks 24, it is understoodthat system 10 may include only one treated water outlet 22 betweentreatment tank 14 and only one of the storage tanks 24 (or if there isonly one storage tank 24), or system 10 may include a single treatedwater outlet 22 that is connected to more than one storage tank 24. Inother words, rather than filling storage tanks 24 with treated water oneat a time, in some embodiments, treated water is introduced to more thanone or all storage tanks 24 through one or more treated water outlets22.

System 10 includes at least one and preferably two storage tanks 24.Storage tanks 24 are preferably at least 300 gallon tanks. At least twoare preferable with the idea that at least one would always be full.Each is connected to treatment tank 14 through a separate treated wateroutlet 22 and then each storage tank 24 is separately connected to theend user's water system or to separate units requiring water. Such aconfiguration is preferable because storage tank 24 on the left isdesignated for hot water and storage tank 24 on the right is designatedfor cold water, as discussed below. This allows the end user to beprovided with either warm/hot or cool/cold water (i.e. water around 55°F. that is the average temperature of water that comes out of our tapswithout being heated or cooled). In some embodiments, however, it isunderstood that the storage tanks 24 may be connected to one another, sothat only one storage tank 24 is connected to treatment tank 14 throughwater outlet 22 and only one storage tank 24 includes a final wateroutlet 112 that feeds into the end user's water system/plumbing.

It is understood that system 10 may include more than two storage tanks24 and that the multiple storage tanks 24 need not be of the same sizeor shape and need not even be in the same location, depending on howsystem 10 is deployed. At least one of the storage tanks 24 includes afinal water outlet 112 through which the treated water leaves system 10and is provided to the end user. This may be by connection to the watersystem of a building or may be as simple as a spigot to provide the enduser with water directly from the tank. A final pump 116 may be includedto aid in the transfer of the treated water through the final wateroutlet 112.

Storage tank 24 on the left includes second heating element 114 so thathot treated water may be provided to the end user and so that thetreated water may be reheated for purity maintenance. Second heatingelement 114 is powered by power source 20, and may include any of theoptions discussed above with reference to FIG. 2B. Storage tank 24 onthe right includes cooling element 113. It also includes second heatingelement 114 as an option to periodically reheat the treated water forpurity maintenance. Cooling element 113 provides a ready source ofpurified cold water to the end user. Cooling element 113 preferablycools the water to approximately 55° F., which is a typical temperaturefor household cold water. Storage tanks 24 that include second heatingelement 114, such as the storage tank 24 on the left, also preferablyinclude a circulator 108 with a timer 110 to aid in keeping the treatedwater uniformly hot. In some embodiments of system 10 that include atleast two storage tanks 24, only the final storage tank 24 that connectsto the end user's water system includes a second heating element 114 andcirculator 108. Storage tanks 24 include UV light source 38 to ensurethe treated water remains pure post-treatment while in storage.

Now referring to FIG. 3, a flow chart of the steps of method 200 of thepresent invention is provided. Method 200 includes the following steps:guiding water to be treated into a treatment tank 204; adding sufficientchlorine to the treatment tank to purify the water to be treated 206;applying heat to the treatment tank and boiling the water to be treated208; and guiding the treated water into a storage tank 212.

Regarding the step of guiding the water to be treated into a treatmenttank 204, this step involves any treatment tank 14, as shown anddiscussed with reference to FIG. 1. Regarding the step of addingsufficient chlorine to the treatment tank to purify the water to betreated 206, this step is as described with reference to system 10 inFIGS. 1 and 2A. Importantly, the step of adding sufficient “chlorine”206 may be a step of adding sufficient iodine 206. If specificcontaminants or quantities thereof are known, the amount of chlorineadded may be tailored to the water to be treated and its volume. In manycases, however, particularly when little is known about the quality ofthe water to be treated, the sufficient amount of chlorine will be amaximum amount that is known will kill all contaminants in any quantity,even if this maximum amount is more than is necessary. The step ofadding sufficient chlorine 206 involves dispersing chlorine from thechlorine source attached to the treatment tank, as described withreference to system 10. The chlorine is preferably in the form of bleach86, but may be in the form of calcium hypochlorite 88, chlorine gas 90,iodine tincture 89, iodine crystals 91, iodine tablets 93, or any otherchlorine source. The step of adding sufficient chlorine 206 may beperformed manually or automatically with the aid of an automatedchlorine feeder 78, as described above.

The step of applying heat to the treatment tank and boiling the water tobe treated 208 involves boiling the water for a sufficient amount oftime to inactivate the chlorine added to the water in the previous step.The length of the boiling will depend on how much chlorine was added.Care must be taken during this step to consider the volume of water tobe treated within the treatment tank and subsequently how much airremains within the treatment tank. The pressure created within thetreatment tank during this step must be considered and addressed so asto operate the system safely. As such, this step may include the stepsof providing a steam escape path from the treatment tank; ensuring thatthe level of the water within the treatment tank always leaves enoughair space above the water for vapor to have sufficient space uponboiling; and/or providing a treatment tank that is structurally strongenough to withstand the pressures created during this heating. In someembodiments the step of applying heat to the treatment tank and boilingthe water to be treated 208 includes the steps of monitoring thetemperature of the water within the treatment tank 218; timing theboiling once boiling is achieved as indicated by the water's temperature220; and discontinuing the heat once boiling has endured for asufficient amount of time to inactivate the chlorine 222.

Some embodiments of method 200 of the present invention also include thestep of guiding water to be treated through a first filter 202 beforethe step of guiding the water to be treated into the treatment tank 204.This step 202 involves any first filter 46 of system 10, as shown anddiscussed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2D. As first filter 46 ispreferably integrated with treatment tank 14, these first two steps 202,204 are likely performed simultaneously. In some embodiments of method200, the steps of guiding water to be treated through a first filter 202and introducing the water to be treated into a treatment tank 204include pumping water to be treated through the first filter and intothe treatment tank 216.

Some embodiments of method 200 of the present invention also include thestep of guiding treated water through a second filter 210 before thestep of guiding the treated water into the storage tank 212. This step210 involves any second filter 54 of system 10, as shown and discussedwith respect to FIGS. 1 and 2E. Regarding the step of introducing thetreated water into a storage tank 212, this step involves any storagetank 24 of system 10, as discussed above. As second filter 54 ispreferably disposed between treatment 14 and storage tanks 24, these twosteps 210, 212 are likely performed simultaneously. In some embodimentsof method 200, the steps of guiding treated water through a secondfilter 210 and introducing the treated water into the storage tank 212include pumping the treated water through the second filter and into thestorage tank 224. Regarding the step of exposing the treated water to UVlight within the storage tank 214, this step involves any UV lightsource 38, as discussed above.

Some embodiments of method 200 of the present invention also include thestep of exposing the treated water to UV light within the storage tank214. This step 214 involves any UV light source 38 as discussed above.Some embodiments of the method of the present invention include, afterthe step of applying heat and boiling in the treatment tank 208, testingthe water for remaining pathogens and/or chlorine 234. If pathogens aredetected 236, the steps of adding chlorine 206, applying heat andboiling 208, and testing 234 are repeated until no pathogens aredetected. The treated water may then be sent on to the step of guidingthe treated water into the storage tank 212. If chlorine is detected238, the steps of applying heat and boiling 208 and testing 234 arerepeated until no chlorine is detected. The treated water may then besent on to the step of guiding the treated water into the storage tank212.

Some embodiments of method 200 of the present invention include thesteps of identifying one or more contaminants in the water to be treated226 and adjusting the amount of chlorine to be added 230 in the step ofadding sufficient chlorine to address the identified contaminants. Thestep of identifying one or more contaminants in the water to be treated226 may be based on common knowledge of an area's source water ortesting of the water or other indications. In some embodiments, the stepof identifying one or more contaminants 226 also includes determining aconcentration or amount of the contaminant in the water to be treated.

Some embodiments of method 200 of the present invention include anadditional step of re-boiling the treated water in the storage tanks232. This step 232 ensures the continued purity of the treated waterduring storage.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versionswould be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.Therefore, the spirit and scope of the description should not be limitedto the description of the preferred versions contained herein.

I claim:
 1. A water purification system for purifying water to betreated into treated water, said water purification system comprising: atreatment tank, wherein said treatment tank comprises: a steam escapepath; and a pressure gauge disposed within said treatment tank and incommunication with said steam escape path such that said steam escapepath releases steam from said treatment tank when said pressure gaugeindicates an unsafe pressure within said treatment tank; a water inletdisposed on said treatment tank such that water to be treated passesthrough said water inlet into said treatment tank; a chlorine sourcedisposed such that said chlorine source provides chlorine to saidtreatment tank; a heating element disposed proximate to said treatmenttank such that said heating element heats the water to be treated withinsaid treatment tank; a power source that powers at least said heatingelement; at least one storage tank; at least one treated water outletdisposed between said treatment tank and said at least one storage tanksuch that treated water passes from said treatment tank to said at leastone storage tank; and a final water outlet disposed on said at least onestorage tank.
 2. The water purification system as claimed in claim 1,further comprising a first filter disposed proximate to said water inletsuch that the water to be treated that passes through said water inletinto said treatment tank is filtered by said first filter.
 3. The waterpurification system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a secondfilter disposed proximate to said at least one treated water outlet suchthat the treated water that passes from said treatment tank into said atleast one storage tank is filtered by said second filter.
 4. The waterpurification system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a firstpump disposed proximate to said water inlet such that said first pumppumps water to be treated through said water inlet into said treatmenttank.
 5. The water purification system as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a second pump disposed proximate to said at least one treatedwater outlet such that said second pump pumps treated water through saidat least one treated water outlet into said at least one storage tank.6. The water purification system as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidtreated water inlet comprises an inlet valve that opens and closes saidwater inlet.
 7. The water purification system as claimed in claim 1,wherein said at least one treated water outlet comprises a first outletvalve that opens and closes said at least one treated water outlet. 8.The water purification system as claimed in claim 7, wherein: said atleast one treated water outlet further comprises a pipe disposed betweensaid treatment tank and said at least one storage tank; and said firstoutlet valve is disposed between said treatment tank and said pipe. 9.The water purification system as claimed in claim 1, further comprisingat least one UV light source disposed within said at least one storagetank and powered by said power source.
 10. The water purification.system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one storage tankcomprises at least two storage tanks, wherein each of said at least twostorage tanks has a capacity of at least 300 gallons.
 11. The waterpurification system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising one of agroup consisting of a pH sensor; a thermometer; and a pH sensor andthermometer disposed within said treatment tank.
 12. The waterpurification system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising anautomated chlorine feeder disposed proximate to said chlorine sourcesuch that said automated chlorine feeder adds chlorine from saidchlorine source to said treatment tank.
 13. The water purificationsystem as claimed in claim 12, wherein said automated chlorine feedercomprises a chlorine control module that controls said automatedchlorine feeder.
 14. The water purification system as claimed in claim1, wherein the chlorine provided by said chlorine source into saidtreatment tank is in the form of bleach.
 15. The water purificationsystem as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises atleast a solar hot water system.
 16. The water purification system asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises at least ageothermal system.
 17. The water purification system as claimed in claim1, wherein said power source is powered by an electric grid.
 18. Thewater purification system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said powersource comprises at least one solar electric photovoltaic panel.
 19. Thewater purification system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said powersource comprises at least a generator.
 20. The water purification systemas claimed in claim 1, wherein said power source comprises at least onebattery.
 21. The water purification system as claimed in claim 1,wherein said power source comprises at least one wind turbine.
 22. Thewater purification system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said powersource comprises at least one hydropower system.
 23. The waterpurification system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a systemcontrol module that electronically controls said system and is incommunication with at least said heating element and is powered by saidpower source.
 24. The water purification system as claimed in claim 1,wherein said steam escape path comprises a steam filter.
 25. The waterpurification system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least onestorage tank comprises a second heating element powered by said powersource.
 26. The water purification system as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a final pump disposed proximate to said final water outletsuch that said final pump pumps treated water out of said system,wherein said final pump is powered by said power source.
 27. The waterpurification system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said treatment tankcomprises a purity monitor in communication with said system controlmodule, said purity monitor comprising a purity test.
 28. The waterpurification system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said purity monitorfurther comprises a display of a result of said purity test.
 29. Thewater purification system as claimed in claim 23, further comprising atleast one alarm in communication with said system control module,wherein said alarm indicates a problem with said system.
 30. The waterpurification system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least onestorage tank comprises a cooling element.
 31. A method for waterpurification of water to be treated into treated water, said methodcomprising the steps of: guiding water to be treated through a firstfilter; guiding the water to be treated into a treatment tank; addingsufficient chlorine to the treatment tank to purify the water to betreated; applying heat to the treatment tank and boiling the water to betreated; guiding the treated water through a second filter; guiding thetreated water into a storage tank; and exposing the treated water to UVlight within the storage tank.
 32. The method as claimed in claim 31,wherein said steps of guiding water to be treated through a first filterand guiding the water to be treated into a treatment tank comprise thestep of pumping water to be treated through the first filter and intothe treatment tank.
 33. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein saidstep of applying heat to the treatment tank and boiling the water to betreated comprises the steps of: monitoring a temperature of the water tobe treated within the treatment tank; timing the boiling once a boilingtemperature is achieved as indicated by a temperature of the water; anddiscontinuing the heat once the boiling temperature has endured for asufficient amount of time to inactivate chlorine.
 34. The method asclaimed in claim 31, further comprising the steps of: identifying one ormore contaminants in the water to be treated; and adjusting an amount ofchlorine to be added in said step of adding sufficient chlorine to thetreatment tank to purify the water to be treated to address theidentified contaminants.
 35. The method as claimed in claim 31, furthercomprising the step of testing the treated water after said step ofapplying heat to the treatment tank and boiling the water to be treated.36. The method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising the stepsbefore said step of guiding the water to be treated into a treatmenttank of: detecting residual chlorine in said step of testing the treatedwater; reapplying heat to the treatment tank and re-boiling the treatedwater; and retesting the treated water.
 37. The method as claimed inclaim 35, further comprising the steps before said step of guiding thewater to be treated into a treatment tank of: detecting residualpathogens in said step of testing the treated water, adding additionalchlorine to the treatment tank to further purify the treated water;reapplying heat to the treatment tank and re-boiling the treated water;and retesting the water.